If these days of Quarantining have taught me anything, it certainly has to be – Minimalism. My heart usually doesn’t cope well with parting things that have been long lying in my possession. So much so that you might as well called them Artefacts now, some are really that old. It basically could be anything: like my old tattered pair of Pumas, a rusted chain, a coin, tshirts or even class notes from my college days.
Though, I have thrashed them all in the Bin now. Not gonna lie, I parted with them on such a heavy note that I wanted to scavenge the very Bin and retrieve them back. Fortunately I didn’t and it has taught me a thing or two, “You’ve got to let go of certain things from your past regardless of how good they once were and no matter how bad you feel about it.” They don’t contribute a dime to your progression you see. As you ran your fingers over them, the memories trapped inside each of the items suddenly resurfaces and look up at you almost as if begging you to save them, reminding you of how they were once a part of you. I let go of some things I never imagined I’d ever part with. This ‘to and fro’ of ‘whether to or not to’ went on for 2 days straight. I finally did threw everything out except for the things I really really have need of in my room. Who’d knew weighing the ‘pros and cons’ of things that will be occupying space in my tiny room would be so demanding.
Somedays I just stand at the door or sit on my black chair in a corner, scanning and admiring my room – now so spacious, airy, trim and sorted. My heart seems to have gotten bigger, lighter and rejuvenated too. There’s so much room for me to grow as a person now and the mere sight of possibility at ‘starting everything afresh’ is comforting.
Allow me to quote from a Film (Fight Club,1999) that’s been on my Amazon Prime’s watchlist for a long time. I finally watched it last week after stashing away such a gem for 3 months. And certain line by the character, Tyler Durden(played by Brad Pitt) is etched in my head. The line goes, “The things that you own, end up owning you.” This line speaks for itself and need no further deciphering.
“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade” they said. Yet there’s a hell lot of people who haven’t received the ‘lemons of life’ yet. So I consider myself as one of those lucky few, and these will definitely be included in my list of Life’s Lemons.
Wrapping this up I have concluded that this Lockdown is first of the many Lemons I’ll be encountering and me picking up the art of Minimalism, my first Lemonade.
Isaac Awungshi 